Improvements electric signaling apparatus for railroad-switches



s. 0.HBNDR1CKs0N.-1 d Switches I for Rai roa.I 4 11n Apparatus El-eqtr11s919g7 g Patented Fe 5, 1878.1-

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STEPHEN O. HENDRIOKSO'N,

OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK..

` |MPRovEMENT-|N ELECTRICSIGNALING APPARATUS FoR RAILROAD-SWITCHES. p

.. Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 199,977., dated February 5, 1878 application led y Aprniaisw.

To all 'whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, STEPHEN G. HENDRIOK- SON, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signaling Apparatus for Railroad-Switches; and Ido hereby declare' that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable othersskilled -in the art to which it appertains to make and' use the same, referencebeing had to the-accompanying draw-v ings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,whichfor1n a part of this specification.

Visual and audible signals operated or controlled by electro-magnetism have heretofore been applied to railroad-switches in such a manner that when the switch is placed in line with a branch track or siding, andthe main track consequently interrupted, the movement of the switch-rails willcause an electric circuit normally open to be iclosed, or a normally-closed circuit to-'be opened, by which' means one or more danger-signals are exhibited or sounded at any required distance from the switch.

An objection to this arrangement arises vfrom the fact that the circuit-closer or circuitthe main track.

In my arrangement the circuit-breaker which controls the signal or signals is attached to the locking apparatus of the switch, and in such a manner that the switch cannot be unlocked, much less moved from its normal position, without rst breaking the circuit and causing the danger-signal to be exhibited.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the application of my invention kto a railroad-switch; and Fig. 2 is a diagram, showing the arrangement of the electric circuit connecting the switch with the signal or signals.

In Fig. l, D D are the movable rails of a switch. F F are the stationary rails of the main track, and F1 F1 the stationary rails of a siding or branch track. The upright lever B turns upon a fulcrum, I), attached to the frame their respective positions.

or stand A, and itsl lower and shorter arm is connected by the rigid r`od O with the'movable switch-rails D D.'

The switchman, by -means ofthe lever B, can placethe movable rails in line with either the main or the'branch tracks at'pleasure, in

the manner ordinarily practiced.

I have shown in Fig. 1 a locking device consistin g `of a movable vhorizontal plate, G, having a square'rnotch cut in its front edge'for the receptionx of the upright switch-lever B. When thisplate is in the normal position, (Shown in' Fig. l) it servesI to lock the lever B, and consequently the `switcl'l-rails D D, in

-A projecting arm, g1, upon the lever C is lprovided lwith'a contact-point, which, when the parts are in their normal position, is kept pressed against the liXed contact-stopl, and

the circuit passing through the wires au is thus kept closed. f In order toA change/the position ofthe switchrails, it is iirst necessary to take out the pin H, which'pe'rmits theI locking-plate G to be swung back out of the Way of the switch-later B by the action of the spring g, and at the same'instant the contact between g1 and I is broken, and the distant signal or signals are thereby caused to indicate danger. The lever B may then be thrown over and the switchrails placed in line with the siding` in the usual manner. While the switch is in this position it is impossible to move the locking-plate into a position to close the circuit, and thus indicate safety upon the distant signal or signals without first restoring the switch to its proper position in line with the main track.

As an additional means of security, I someexhibi-ted or sounded.

The arrangement of connections which I have found preferable for ordinary use is shown in Fig. 2, in which E is the battery; g1, the contact device attached to the lockingplate of the switch-stand; S, the circuit-breaker connected with the movable rails; M and M1, the signal-operating magnets placed at a suitable distance, one in each direction.

The simple device shown in the drawing will serve to indicate the action of the signals.

In Fig. 2 the switch is supposed to be unlocked and the circuit broken between g1 and I. 'Ihe armatures of the signal-magnets M M1 are released, and the action of the spring n causes the index m to point to D, indicating danger to the engine-driver of an approaching train. When the circuit is restored the index points to S, indicating safety. `An audible or sounding signal may be used either in addition to or in lieu of a visual signal, if desired.

In many cases it will be advisable to place a secondary or repeating signal or indicator in the immediate vicinity of the switch, the movements of which are controlled by and dependent upon those of the distant signal, lso that before moving the switch the switchman may be enabled to know with certainty that the distant signal has performed its oflice. This auxiliary or repeating signal may be placed in the same circuit, or in a secondary circuit, the manner of arranging and operating the saine being well understood by those skilled liln the art, and not necessary to be described ere.

I do not desire to restrict myself to the use' in connection with my inventiomas the inventionmay be applied with equal convenience and facility to any of the various forms of locking mechanism in use on railway-switches without departing from its principles, as hereinbefore set forth.

I claim as my invention-- 1. A normally-closed electric circuit which includes one or more electric signals so arranged as to be maintained in a position denoting safety by the action of a constant current traversing said circuit, in combination with a circuit-breaker attached to the locking apparatus of a switch, when arranged, substantially as specified, so that the signal-circuit must be interrupted before the switchrails can be moved from their normal position, and cannot be restored until the said rails have been replaced in such position. 2. A normally-closed electric circuit which includes one or more signal-operating magnets so arranged as to be maintained in aposition denoting safety by the action of the current traversing said circuit, in combination with two separate circuit-breakers, one of said circuit-breakers being attached to or operated by the locking apparatus of the switch, and the other attached to or operated by the movable rails of the switch, substantially as speciiied.

3. The movable rails D D and the locking device G, in combination with the circuit breaker g1,- for operating a visual or audiblel electric signal or signals.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN C. HENDRIGKSON. Witnesses:

FRANK L. POPE, WM. ARNoUX. 

